Male cone development in Ginkgo biloba uncovers recurrent reproductive modules partially shared with Cycas circinalis.

Male cone development in Ginkgo biloba reveals three main stages with distinct transcriptional programs, sharing reproductive modules with Cycas circinalis despite temporal differences.

• Why it matters: Understanding reproductive mechanisms in early-diverging gymnosperms like Ginkgo and Cycas is crucial because most research has focused on angiosperms, leaving gaps in knowledge about seed plant evolution and diversity.
• What they did: Researchers used phenology, histology, RNA-seq, arabinogalactan-protein profiling, and JIM8 immunolocalization to analyze male cone and pollen development across three macro-stages, and compared these modules with Cycas circinalis transcriptomes.
• The result: Shared reproductive modules were identified between Ginkgo and Cycas, with differences in their timing, providing a framework for studying lineage-specific and conserved features of male reproduction in early gymnosperms.